1. Technical Field
This invention relates to portable air blowers and, more particularly, to a portable air-blower for removing debris and the like from a putting green surface.
2. Prior Art
Air blowers are useful in numerous situations such as for drying a surface before applying a paint or adhesive, for cleaning an object, fanning the body, for drying hair, or for supplying air to a fire in a charcoal grill or a fireplace. For such applications, a light, portable and self powered hand-held blower is extremely useful. Another situation where a portable air blower may be quite useful is in the event that a golfer needs to clear the putting green of loose debris that can possibly impede the travel of their golf ball. As a rule in golf, objects such as leaves, grass clippings, sand, etc. are defined as loose impediments, and can only be removed from the golfer's line on a putting green provided he/she does not press down in the green.
Due to the nature of golf and the surroundings it is played in, a blower that can operate independent of the availability of an electric power supply will be more useful in this situation than a blower which is constrained by the availability of electric outlets. Providing a blower with a rechargeable power supply makes such operation possible. However, if the rechargeable power supply is unduly large, the air blower becomes unwieldy and the benefits of it being portable are lost.
In order for an air blower to be useful as a portable tool, it is important that the blower provide an air stream that can impact a surface one to three feet from the outlet of the blower. Further, it is preferred that the blower be capable of providing such an air stream over an extended period without frequent recharging. If such a blower can operate in excess of four hours on a single charge, the blower will be more useful to its operator, especially during golfing activities that tend to last for many hours. To achieve such an air stream over an extended period with a compact hand-held blower, it is important that blower turbulence be minimized. By decreasing air turbulence in the blower, a powerful air stream can be provided for an extended period without requiring the use of an excessively large or heavy rechargeable power supply.
Accordingly, a need remains for a portable air-blower for removing debris and the like from a putting green surface. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a portable air-blower that is convenient and easy to use, and provides the user with considerable time savings. Such a device provides a light, compact blower that makes it quick and easy to remove loose impediments. The battery powered motor directs a stream of air out of the nozzle with sufficient velocity to move small and light objects, such as leaves and grains of sand. This is advantageously quicker than attempting to pick up or brush away such debris, as is now the common practice even among professional golfers. Thus, the golfer wastes less time clearing a path to the hole, and his/her shot is not adversely affected by losing focus during the cleaning process.